The Rural cook book

closely and stand in a cool, dark place for one week. At the end of that time turn them carefully into the kettle, bring them to boiling point, and simmer for five minutes, then return them to the jars, cover closely with tissue paper brushed over with the white of an egg, and put in a dark, cool place to keep. Apples are more difficult to keep than any other fruit Blackberry cheese is an old-fashioned but excellent recipe. Three pounds apples, peeled and cored; three pounds blackberries. To each pound pulp allow three-quarters pound sugar. Peel, core and slice the apples, put them in a jar with the blackberries, which must be picked over, and let them remain in the oven for three-quarters of an hour, or till the fruit is quite soft; pulp through a sieve, and to every pound of pulp allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar; boil the pulp for another hour; put into jars very hot, and when cold cover in the usual way. It should be firm enough to slice when turned out. Barberry Jam. — Pick three pounds of barberries from the stalk, put them in a jar or porcelain boiler, with three pounds of sugar. Stand the jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer gently until the sugar is dissolved and berries soft, then stand aside all night. In the morning put them in a porcelain-lined kettle, and simmer slowly for 35 minutes, stirring continually. Turn into glasses and seal when cool, like jelly. Barberry Preserves. — This is a very old-fashioned recipe. Four quarts of barberries picked from the stems, washed and drained. Heat one large quart of molasses and one quart of white sugar together until the sugar is dissolved. Skim, and (hen add the barberries. Cook until they begin to pop and shrivel, which will be in about 10 minutes. Skim them into a stone jar, then boil the syrup slowly until it will cover the berries. Bar le Due Preserves.— Take selected red (or white) currants of large size, one by one, carefully make an incision in the skin, one-fourth an inch in size, with tiny embroidery scissors. Through this slit, with a sharp needle, remove the seeds, separately, preserving the shape of the fruit. Take the weight of the currants in strained honey and, when hot, add the currants. Let simmer 'a minute or two, then seal as jelly. The currants retain their shape, are of a beautiful color and melt in the mouth. Should the currants liquefy the honey too much, carefully skim them out, reduce the syrup at a gentle simmer to desired consistency and store as before aftei' adding the fruit. Black Currants.— Gather the currants on a dry day; to every pound allow half a pint red currant juice and a pound and a half of finely pounded loaf sugar. Clip off the heads and stalks ; put the juice, currants and sugar in a preserving pan; shake it frequently till it boils; carefully remove the fruit from the sides of the pan, and take off the scum as it rises; let it boil for 10 or is minutes. Blueberry Mixtures.— A combination of blueberries and gooseberries, one portion of gooseberries to three of the blueberries, canned in the ordinary fashion, makes an excellent Winter sauce or filling for piei. So does a combination of blueberries and rhubarb, one cupful of rhubarb and one cupful of sugar to a quart of blueberries. Cherry Conserve. — Five quarts cherries (sour), one pound raisins (seeded and cut) ; two oranges (pulp cut in pieces, also yellow of skin) ; one pound English walnuts (chopped) ; 2½ pounds sugar. Cook until thick and put in jelly tumblers. Cherries must be boiled about SO minutes before putting in sugar, etc.